Philips Norelco Electric Shaver 9700, Frustration Free Package

1) This shaver gives one of the smoothest and irritation free shaves of any electric shaver I have ever owned.2) However it requires what seems to me a rather long shaving time to achieve the desired closeness.3) There is a also a tendency for the shaving head to pop out of its detent when just a moderate side load is applied. In my opinion this is due to a flawed design of the snap-in head securing mechanism. In my opinion, the mechanism should not be capable of two-way operating direction that allows the head to pop out by merely applying enough side load to pull it out of its spring loaded detent. Rather, I believe it should be locked by a one way device which snaps the shaving head firmly into a locked position and that can only be released by moving a separate part mounted on the shaver body. This would prevent the unintended separation of the shaving head from the shaver body during operation.4) The electronic digital display began showing an inaccurate number of shaving minutes left. After a few months the error grew. This also indicates an ongoing decrease in charging capacity that will likely end in complete failure. To illustrate by example: say my typical shave takes 10 minutes measured on a regular clock, this shaver's internal clock says 22 minutes have past. This means the theoretical number of 10 minute shaves at the given 100 minute default value is reduced to less than 5. Because of these defects in its present incarnation, an otherwise superb shaver must get a failing grade.

I have used Norelco shavers exclusively for over 50 years and wanted to upgrade to the latest technology. I was really looking forward to a great shave. Unfortunately, I gradually became more and more disappointed and shocked by its poor performance. This model is beyond the absolute worst of the worst. Let me count the ways:PROS:• It’s pretty and it swivels as advertised.• It turns on and off.CONS:• From the start it did not give a decent shave. Blades just seem to hack at whiskers. Replacement blades are just as bad.• The cleaning unit lasted about three months and then stopped cleaning. The cleaning fluid turns a nasty brown with dark sediment even after repeated module replacements. It just doesn’t work at all and it’s offensive.• It is possible to unplug the cleaning unit and charge the shaver directly, but then you have to clean the heads by hand which is a pain to do.So I went back to my old reliable Norelco Model 7310XL and was pleased to have a good shave again. But I’m still left with a useless $300 Norelco engineering failure.

With the understanding that shaving is a personal preference, I have been disappointed with the Norelco. Suffice it to say that the feel is somewhat flimsy, and even the cleaning base feels like cheap plastic. More importantly, I had expected the rotary blades to confront better to shaving the neck and head, but to my surprise found that my older Bruan Series 7 not only felt better built but also shaved closer and with less irritation. Probably the most disappointing aspect was that regardless of the what speed I set for the Norelco, it tended either to miss hairs or pull them.

I've been using a Norelco Spectra 8894xl since the spring of 2003. It still has the original Lithium Ion battery, and it still holds two hours worth of battery charge. The 9700 definitely offers a closer shave. It's tough to tell from that of a blade. It's also much lighter and easier to handle. I expect I'll get used to having to charge it more often. With the included stand, it isn't any trouble to do so. I don't find the stand to be excessively large, as some of the other reviewers have. Everyone has different priorities, though. If you want a quick, convenient, really close shave, this may be for you.

Using the cleaner system that came with this one. Not too easy to disassemble and reassemble to clean. Have had several Norelco razors and those head assemblies seemed easier. Had to contact customer service shortly after receiving as one of the disks on head was making a grinding sound. By express mail had not only a new head system but a whole new razor. Was very satisfied with customer service. If purchase another razor would get Norelco again however would get one of the less expensive models. This one was not worth the additional cost.